Vegan Pumpkin Graham Bread

There’s something so wonderful about baking during the autumn. The heat of the oven provides warmth on chilly days, and the desserts in the oven fill the house with a delicious smell, particularly when baking something with cinnamon in it. One of my favorite treats to make when I want the house to have that spicy fall scent is pumpkin bread. Pumpkin bread, to me, is the epitome of fall foods. It’s a classic, one you can’t go wrong with!

Is it possible to build a better pumpkin bread? This is the question I asked myself last weekend, as I was contemplating whether or not to post a pumpkin bread recipe. I didn’t want to post a basic recipe, as there are thousands out there already. But at the same time, I wasn’t sure if I could make a creative version that was as good as the original! As I was pondering over this, my mind wandered to the half-used box of graham crackers in the cabinet, leftover from my s’more brownies. Then it hit me: I could make a pumpkin graham bread! I’ve had blueberry graham muffins and banana graham muffins in the past, both of which were extremely tasty. Plus, graham crackers would add a rich molasses flavor, one that would pair perfectly with pumpkin.

To test my idea, I used a basic pumpkin bread recipe, swapping out the cow’s milk for nut milk and the chicken eggs for flax eggs. Then, I replaced half of the flour with crushed vegan graham crackers (Nabisco Grahams don’t contain honey, if you’re wondering). The resulting loaf came out perfectly, with just the right balance between the graham and pumpkin flavors. My omnivore parents loved it, as did my grandparents. The first loaf went so quickly that I was already baking another by the next day!

The moral of the this story is this: the best ideas always come to you by accident. The other takeaway from this story? Go make this delicious pumpkin graham bread! You won’t be disappointed.

Vegan Pumpkin Graham Bread

Crushed graham crackers add a rich sweetness to pumpkin bread, which is infused with maple syrup and pumpkin pie spice, and topped with crisp pumpkin seeds. This fall treat is vegan and contains no refined sugar, other than what’s in the graham crackers!

In a separate bowl, beat together flax mixture, almond milk, and oil until well combined. Stir in pumpkin and maple syrup.

Add wet ingredients to flour mixture, stirring just until incorporated.

Spread batter evenly in loaf pan and top with pepitas.

Bake 60-70 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. Allow bread to cool in the pan for 15 minutes before transferring to wire rack to cool completely. Cut into 16 slices to serve.